Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-05-29
BARGAINING By SIGNS.

Queer Used by Eastern Trad
rrs-Odd G~c~ticuIaiiuns That Have An
Earnest Meaning.
Ih,tn.iDhiu TiC11Ih.
In the customary Opcn-air markets OF
Eastern countries ESPECIALLY oSedcr0tcd
To transactions in hides, leather, wool,
Grain and truit-it is no uncommon thing
to see q couple Of se~datc-looking traders
seated on the ground, each with his tight
hand concealed in his neighbour c~aplcious
sleeve, and engaged, TO all appearances, in
Suuecling each Others iingeIS. For a few
minutes they will remain in this
position, one uudgIng the other OCCASION.
ally, hut without exchanging IA word; and
then, rising, they will separate and go
their way. Sometimes the performance Is
varied Il little. A couple OF merchants
will stand in the middle of - bawlinG ami
g~esticulating crowd by which they are sur
rounded and observed; one will raise the
end Of his long robe or unrull the muslin
yelling OF his t~urian, and under cover al
this the nair will begin To clasp hands and
fingers ~ before. The spectacle is extreme
w funny Ia the Western traveller who does
not understand what Is going on; hut IN
point Of fact the traders are simply
engaged in what they call Elk
inc the price, or bargaining,
NV means Of a code q! manual signs almost
universally uSci by Eastern merchants,
who are compelled TO 10 much of theirhuS-
in,SS IN the open air, surrounded by pcople
who are quite rs curious about every affair
in progress as the principals themselves.
This system of dealing has been adopted
for q very simple reason. Most ordinary
transactions between buyer and seller in
Eastern markets are carried On with a vast
amount of noise, Swearing and gesticula-
ton: but yet more remarkable is the
active part taken in the negotiation by
the spectltorS-thU idlcrS, lOaters and
b~usvbudles, who abound in all
oriental markets. Every one has some
thing to say, some advice to give or sug,
cestiOn to make. And as the unwritten
code of the East does nor permit the par
ties to resent the meidIing of the crowd, il
IS impossible under ordinary circumstances,
to arrange any matter of business without
the knowledge of half the market. And
40 it is that MoSlem merchants avail them
selves of a code Of manual signs, expressed
by pressure of the hand or finger in con
cealment.
This code of mercantile signals is in gen.
eral use throughout the southern parts Of
| Western Asia. rs well rs i'll the harb0r
and trading stations of Arabia, the Red
| Sea. the Persian gulf and Eastern Africa
Apart from the secrecy it ensures, IL has
the adyantage-Since the signs are every
, where the Slme-Of enabling traders of diff
ferent natiOnalitieS, to whom the bazaar
~vernacular is unknown, Il buy and sell
without the aid of Intermediates. The
practice has occasionally been referred t.
| bv ohservant travellers, though the signs
themselves have never vet been de
scribed. They are extremely simple, few
in number and easily learned. To make
beginning. the would he buyer opens the
business with an offer TO purchase, express
ed by passing the palm of the hand side
WAYS over the vendors knuCkleS. IL ht
grasp the FIRST or index finger of the seller
| fully extended. the price offered Is one, U
whatever the coin may he III which tender
is customary in the market. A single
pressure underneath the thumb makes
this ten; a double pressure, distinctly
given. 100. The first two fingers taken
together signify two; pressure OF The
thumb underneath, once or twice.
raising the figure to twenty or 2o'
In like manner the first three tinger'
rrasped by the buyer convey an offer oj
three. thirty OF 900; the four fingers, four,
| FORTY or 400, and the whole hand, hye,
fifty or 800. The little finger taken by
itself signifies six, sixty or GOO; the thru
or ring finger, seven, seventy or 'W; th'
middle finger, eight, eighty or 500, n the
| first OF index finger, bent-not extended
as for "one"-is equivalent to nine, nine
~ or 900. Grasping the thumb alone Is {
tender of a thousand. Fractions are nj
less easily expressed To signify one-ha't
the buyer passes the thumb sidewayt
across the middle Joint of the vendors mid
die finger. The same movement IN TIT
direction of the knuekle means an addition
| of one. fourth; while in the contrary direc
ton. towards the finger-tip it is an offer o
a quarter less. The whole nail of the fore